CUBANET ... CUBANEWS

June 26, 2001



Castro collapse could speed aid to Cuban dissidents

By Jim Burns. CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer. June 25, 2001. CNS News

(CNSNews.com) - Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman and former Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) said in Miami Sunday that Cuban Leader Fidel Castro's fainting spell on Saturday could spur interest in Congress to pass a bill to aid Cuban dissidents.

Lieberman is co-sponsoring a bill entitled the "Cuban Solidarity Act" with Republican Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) to aid Cuban dissidents. The bill has yet to see Senate action. It would funnel $100 million in American aid over the next four years to Cuban dissident groups. The aid would be in the form of food and cash, paper, pens, telephones and faxes.

Lieberman, who was in south Florida to address a Florida Democratic party fundraising dinner on Saturday, met Sunday with representatives of the Cuban American National Foundation, an exile group that is a very harsh critic of the Castro regime.

Accompanying Lieberman at his meeting were Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson and Florida Democratic Representative Allen Boyd.

After the meeting, Lieberman told reporters, "I hope these events in Cuba, the personal weakening of Fidel Castro, will draw the attention of more of our colleagues in Washington and that we will join together to make sure a post-Castro Cuba is a free Cuba."

Lieberman also said the bill, which has President Bush's support, emphasizes the United States' commitment to human rights in Cuba.

"To some people it's become controversial. I don't know why. More people are enjoying freedom than ever before. So why should we accept the reality that the people of Cuba live under a brutal, freedom-denying dictatorship?" Lieberman asked.

Some Capitol Hill critics of the bill say the money would end up in Castro's hands and that dissidents would be targeted by his government for retribution.

Radio Havana reported Saturday that Castro collapsed during a speech in the Havana suburb of Cotorro. In his speech, Castro defended five Cuban agents convicted in Miami earlier this month on spying-related charges, calling them heroes and demanding their release and return to Cuba.

According to press reports, when Castro collapsed, state run television turned its cameras from the lectern and began panning the crowd. Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque immediately stepped up to the microphone and explained that Castro had been working all night and had not slept or eaten before speaking.

Later Saturday night, Castro addressed the country over state run television. He joked with reporters that he had simulated his own death in order to see what his funeral would be like.

Castro will be 75 in August. When he dies, Cuban law mandates that his brother Raul, commander of the Cuban Armed Forces, would take over as leader.

All original CNSNews.com material, copyright 1998-2001 Cybercast News Service.

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